The New Republic has a seven-page opus this week on the roots of French anti-Americanism, and whether there is such a thing anyway. Here it is (free registration required, or use bugmenot). I wouldn't normally even try to persuade anyone to read a seven-page (and that's seven web pages, each multiple screens full) TNR opus reviewing several books and unifying the whole thing into a historical and contemporary tour de force, but it's really good. And, I think, to most Americans it will be a little surprising. I mean, to most of us, the French are sort of a running joke, a bit clownish, a bit malicious, but deep-down, we assume, it's more like the sparring of siblings than anything serious. But the point of the article and the books reviewed is that French anti-Americanism has deep roots, going back to colonial attitudes about the new world, and snobbery about its culture compared to that of Europe. Then there's the anti-semitism, which generally I try to ignore but lately has been giving me the willies. Anyway, if you read one vast online historical book review opus this week, this is the one.

November 23, 2005 08:41 AM
Categories: books - politics
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